Mining machine



C. E. COMPTON MINING MACHINE 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 original Filed Dec. 27, 195o INVENTOR CHARLES [.CoMPTON NOV. 4, 1952 C, E. COMPTON I 2,616,677

MINING MACHINE 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 Original Filed Dec. 27, 1950 INVENToR. CHARLES E. COMPTON www4/@N HIS ATTORNEYS Nov. 4, 1952 C, E, COMPTON 2,616,677

MINING MACHINE Original Filed Dec. 27, 1950 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 INVENTOR.

CHARLES E. COMPTON BYWWM HIS ATTORNEYS Patented Nov. 4, 1952 sTArss PATENTV oFFI-ce 2,516,677 Minnie MAeHrNE-- Charles .Ii- .Qompion, ClerkslimgLW-ives Originalnrapplieation December 27; 1950;

Serial.;

l\{c ,2l)u2,1895K Divided and this applieation; August 18; P1952-, Serial No. 304,919

warms (G1 .mf-.19.)A

in;- suoh; elongated vrx -1ining assembly which con forms tothe teachings of-1 my Patents. Nos. 156218,41,A and 2,594,256! In addition to such a h eadgthe elongated-- mining assemblyl comprises sectional',lengthspfa-cenveyor of a screw or heli. cal; nature te drivel the head1 and remove.. the mined mineral in the -course y of the mining oper.- ation. Provision is madefor handling and storingsuohsections.

Other objects andy advantages` ofc this invention will be apparentirom the following ldescriptionand draw-ingsf, which areA illustrative, only, ingWhch.

Figure -lis a side vieww of a mining machine. embodiment ofthis invention engaged in aminirle Operation Figure 2 is a front-viewnon a larger scale of the. mining machine shown in Figure l Lbut omitting the elongated mining assembly;- v

Figure 3 is a side viewvvof one of :the Winches` on the'superstructure of4 the vmining Imachine shown infisule'r Figure 5;*is a fragmentary-view showing a portien vofjthe supporting struetuvre and the superstijuitureofY a rform ofl mining machine having wincneslon the superstructure movable transversely ofthe machine for handlingconveyor` sections, Figure 5 `being similar to Figure 2 butv Qmittingportions of; the mechanism shown in Figure 2i; whiehgportions ofthemechanism` cooperate withthe strueture shown in AFigure .5` in the` same way* as they-cooperate-with the structure shown, inrigure 2; and* ti'Qn offrtlie, structure shownv in- Figure- 5 andv bers- ILI rigidly ioined-'atr-therear ends thereof by abolster' I2 welded orrotherwiseaxed: tothe.

structural membersb I Il.' At spaceds intervals` to ward=theiormara end I3y offtheLframe, spanning-estructuralrmembers- 'I 4,- inA thel'form of-plateshaving-fa,generallyinvert'or convex downwardly 21; profile.. are also joinedv toV the, respective side, structural members I-Iby. welding orfotherwise., It will therefore be seen that the'framre. IIL-is generally trough-shapedand Ythat the forward end |31 (the leithand end viewingFigure 1,) is;

open. A pan I5 whichy is also convex down-j wardly fits the yprofi-lle ofthe plates I4 towhich A the pan I5 is,` bolted or welded.v Theupper edge ofthe pan I5; are aflixed to the side structural members II. Thevariousframe members such asthesides vI IA may barriada o1. wellcasing pipe, for example, which is.v of suitable strength. The.l

forward portion ofthe pan I51is provided with supporting. or r. piloty rollers I 'I suitably journaled` in brackets l10ny fastened.: to thepan. Between mining operations` the,- elongated' mining assernf-` bly, which is designatedfas awholevbyreferenee4 numeral I8, normallyv willreston the. rollersll and will be guidngly, supported thereby when amining operation begins.

Arms 2-2.are weldedtosides II. Laterallyprofg. jecting tubular members`A I9 of suitable strength are provided with anges 20v which cooperate` withmating flanges 2 I on arms 22. The upright legs 23 vof the. mining machineare weldedA to the outer ends of members I9; In this way whenthe mating flanges 2li-.and 2| are .bolted-together the, legs 23.become `anintegral and rigid part of the mining machine. On the other hand, each leg; 23 can be-separated fromthe-.mining machine by uncouplngthe .respectiveangesZiand 2,0 if re-v pairs are needed-or the'machneis to be moved overy the publiel roads.

On at least one sideof the.,machine.thelegs 23"y may be provided withpo-Wered. traction treads 39. Inthe embodiment `shown in Figure 2 such traction.r treads in the form of endless tractor tracks are provided on the legs 23 on one side only of the machine. On the other side ofthe machineY the legs 23 are provided with drag basesl 40. These bases- 49; arein the form of :downwardlyconvex tubs andfurnish a considerable. support area to the. legs` ony that side.Y At the same time theyv canreadily be dragged Yand will slide over theground during, lateralmovement of the machine when it is" being moved-betweenside-.byfsideminingstations along the workingface of` a coalseamsuoli as4k the coalseam S in Figure `l or any-other mineral deDQStf The drag bases 4I); are provided with eyes'lll so theta-trac tor. can be attached t0;ihezmehae'Oe'.theics if. it.. is desired t0 drag it inalateral-direc withY the. drag; Qassam-1 leading- 111; siest.- S. ations that; sidetof the maehinefhaving th tr machine laterally with the treads 38 in the lead. Where lateral movement in both directions may frequently take place, then it may be preferable to replace the drag bases d@ with traction tread assemblies similar to assemblies 38.

In order to initially point or aim the elongated mining assembly I8 the axis of which generally coincides with the longitudinal axis of the mining machine of this invention, the mining machine axis is aligned when the elongated mining assembly I8 is retracted and out of seam S. When fully retracted, all helical conveyor sections, severally designated 68, beyond the one immediately connected to the mining head are removed and placed alongside the machine or stored in the superstructure of the machine.

That superstructure comprises the arched beams 6I welded together at the top and respectively connected to anged extensions 82 integral with legs 23. The mating bolt flanges at the lower ends of beams 6I enable the arches to be removed whenever necessary or desirable. Each superstructure includes in addition inwardly extending and upwardly inclined racks 63 welded as shown in Figure 2 to the projecting members I9 and corresponding legs 23. These racks are generally in the plane of the respective beams 6I extending transversely over the frame I8. The inward ends of the front and rear pair of racks 83 are separated respectively to dene a 2 vertical passage 88 through which the sections 60 can be moved. The diameter of the central shaft of each conveyor section B8 is narrow enough to pass through the opening B8 when the sections are being racked. Moreover, the pitch of the helical blade of each section 60 is great enough to permit the ends of the racks to pass between the turns of the blade in such handling of them. Many such conveyor sections 88 may be stored in the racks 83 inasmuch as the blades thereof internt side-by-side and thereby each takes up less space together than the overall diameter thereof while so stored.

In order to handle the conveyor sections 60 a conventional hydraulically operated winch 6? i.

is fastened on a cross beam Sla in turn fastened to each arch 6I immediately beneath the peak thereof. Each winch 61 is provided with a rotatable drum 68 and a hydraulic motor 69 to turn the drum through a gear reducer 10. A cable 'I4 is operatively connected to each drum 68 and passes around a pulley block 'I5 from which a hook 'Iii depends. Each hook 'I6 is large enough to cradle the shaft of the helical conveyor sections El) in the course of the handling thereof.

A motor carriage 88 is shown in Figures 1 and 2 for rotating, advancing and retracting the elongated mining assembly I 8. A channel-shaped guide rail 91 at each side of the frame receives a portion of the carriage 88. 91 extend along the inside of each of the side structural members II of the frame I8 and are rigidly fastened thereto. Thus, movement of the carriage 88 is limited by the guide rails 9'! to longitudinal movement between the respective ends of the frame IG. The carriage 88 is in effect a drop-center carriage placing it relatively close to the ground for maximum force and stability in operating the elongated mining assembly I8. The lower portion of the carriage 88 travels in the trough defined by the upper surface of the pan I5. The upper flange of the guide rail 91 is provided with a widened portion or a separate plate may be used to serve as a friction track which is also fixed to the side members I I along The guide rails the length thereof. The carriage 88 has front and rear axles carrying driving wheels |06 which are provided with conventional rubber tires riding on the track. An internal combustion engine such as a diesel engine |01 is mounted on the carriage 88 to drive the wheels IDS.

A non-circular socket is provided at the rearward end of the shaft of each helical section 68. The forward ends of the helical sections 60 are provided with complementary male coupling members. When a male coupling member is inserted into a socket the two are fastened together by a transverse coupling pin. In that way the elongated mining assembly I8 can be made of indefinite length by adding such sections 60 in the course of a mining operation at a single station. Thereby the elongated mining assembly I 8 can cut its way into the seam S for a distance several times as long as the length of the frame I8 of the mining machine operating the elongated mining assembly I8. In this operation the for ward thrust of the elongated mining assembly I3 is substantially coaxial with and in alignment with carriage 88 so that the full forward force of the carriage 88 is transmitted to the assembly I8. Moreover, the longitudinal axes of the carriage 88 and of the elongated mining assembly I8 substantially coincide and are relatively close to the ground in front of the Working face as shownl in Figure 1. In this way a maximum of stability with a maximum conversion of thrust force generated by the wheels |06 is transmitted to the assembly I8. Further, the machine can work seams substantially on the same level as the machine.

Carriage 88 is moved rearwardly or retractedl whenever an additional helical conveyor section 80 is to be inserted in the elongated mining assembly I8 or when the entire elongated mining assembly I8 is being removed from the bore which it has made in order that the entire machine may be moved to the next station alongside. During a retraction of elongated mining assembly I8 by the movement of carriage 88 toward the rear end of the mining machine the engine |81 will usually continue the rotation of the helical conveyor in a mining direction to clean out the bore in the course of such retraction.

In the course of a usual mining operation the elongated mining assembly I8 is rotated by carriage 88 in a direction so as to screw the helical blades into the bore being cut in the seam S by the head I8. Such a direction of rotation while the carriage 88 is moving forward causes the mineral being mined to be passed along between the turns of the blades toward a transverse opening at the forward end of the pan I5 whence it is picked up by loading conveyor |48.

At the inception of a mining operation usually but a single helical conveyor sectioin E0 is included in elongated mining assembly I8. At such start of a mining operation, moreover, the carriage 88 is usually fully retracted and at the back near the bolster I2. In this arrangement, the front of the conveyor section 60 and the mining head are supported by the pilot rollers l'I. As shown, their axes are longitudinal and parallel to the axis of the mining machine but they may be offset so as to be normal to the angle of pitch of the outer edge of the helical blades in contact therewith. Thus, as carriage 88 is moved forward with the mining head assembly I8 rotating so as to screw the blade following the head I8 into the working face of seam S. the rollers II continue their support.

mergers:

However, when..the.. miningghea'd. itself has cut a kerf into tlie.workingFfa'rrr-oftlitr` mineral depusiticrescentisdtfnduentmmakessthmfcmard bers 1121 rigidly ioined'a't' the rear endsl thereofv by a bolster not shown similar to the bolster 12. Laterally projecting tubular members 19a are connected to the sides of the members 11a at spaced intervals. The upright legs 23a of the mining machine are welded to the outer ends of the members 19a. inwardly extending and upwardly inclined racks 63a are welded to the members 19a or the members 23a or both, the racks 63a lying in the transverse planes defined by the members 23a. There are shown two opposed pairs of members 23a with racks 63a therewithin. The racks 63a are analogous to the racks 63 and function in the same manner.

Generally horizontally extending winch ways 211 are mounted atop the opposed members 23o and extend transversely of the machine, there being one such winch way for each of the pairs of opposed members 23a. Each winch way comprises a pair of spaced apart members 2 I2 forming tracks. On each winch way rides a truck or dolly 213 having wheels 214 operating upon the tracks 212. Each truck 213 has mounted thereon a winch 61a which may be of any conventional construction and may be identical with the Winches B1. Each winch 61a may be provided with a rotatable drum 68a and a hydraulic motor to turn the drum through a gear reducer as in the case of the winch 61 shown in Figures 3 and 4. VA cable 14a is operatively connectedto each drum 68a and carries a hook 16a similar to the hooks '16 and adapted to function in the same way. The cables '14a extend down between the rails 212.

Mounted atop each end of each of the winch ways 2H is a pedestal 215. A shaft 211i extends longitudinally of the machine and is journaled in the two pedestals 215 at one side of themachine. Sprockets 21'1 are fixed to the shaft 216, one sprocket at each pedestal. The shaft 211,5 is adapted to be turned by an oil motor 218 through a Worm reducer 219. The oil motor 211i may operate in either direction so the shaft 216 may be turned in one direction or the other as desired, the sprockets 211 turning therewith,

Journaled in each of the pedestals 215 at the opposite side of the machine is a short shaft 220 to which is fixed a sprocket 221. Each sprocket 221 is in transverse alignment with one of the sprockets 211 at the first mentioned side 'of the machine. At each of the winch ways a sprocket one endi'ofleaeliisprocket chain-2223s caff-ended* moved-.Yfsynchronouslyrtraverselyof fitliemachine' Sielrlmovementfacilitates handling of "the-con# veyorsectionsffrom operative'eposition to stored pgsitionxihtheracks 63af'and vicef versa.

Sii1ce-`tlieJ w-ir'iclies1 lirirA are "mounted iorftravel^v tlierhydraulic/connectionsf thereto wilI' comprise' fxiblef'portionsto 'compensateforithe -change'vin 1 position* oftlithe-ewinchesffrelativeiy" to thersuperfstructurer AiternativelyftlfieWinches'BIacnaybe electrically"operatediifidesiredi` Various`` changes` in'- the details andfarrange'- ments'f offr tl'i's"inventiony lmay f be1 made1 without; departing fromthe spiritithereof" orfthe scopeof tirerapprendisti"fclal'inss`v 1. In a mining machine corrrprisiiiga" :arriage;` a supporting"structurerliaving a runway along which the carriage is adapted to move back and forth, an elongated mining assembly operatively coupled to the carriage at therear end of the assembly, the assembly including screw conveyor sections connected end to end, and means for rotating the assembly, a superstructure carried by the supporting structure and extending upwardly therefrom, lifting means on the superstructure generally above the assembly for handling conveyor sections when disconnected from the assembly and carriage, the lifting means having exible conveyor section supporting means so that the conveyor sections when held thereby are shiftable generally transversely of the path of movement of lthe assembly, and means constituting an upwardly open rack extending generally parallel to the path of movement of the assembly, said rack being connected with the supporting structure at a side thereof for holding conveyor sections in position generally parallel t0 but out of the path of movement of the assembly whereby conveyor sections can be moved between a position in the path of movement of the assembly and a position in the rack.

2. In a mining machine comprising a carriage, a supporting structure having a runway along which the carriage is adapted to move back and forth, an elongated mining assembly operatively coupled to the carriage at the rear end of the assembly, the assembly including screw conveyor sections connected end to end, and means for rota-ting the assembly. a superstructure carried by the supporting structure and extending upwardly therefrom, lifting means on the superstructure generally above the assembly substantially movable transversely of the runway for handling conveyor sections when disconnected from the assembly and carriage and means constituting an upwardly open rack extending generally parallel to the path of movement of the assembly, said rack being connected with the supporting structure at a side thereof for holding conveyor sections in position generally parallel to but out of the path of movement of the assembly whereby conveyor sections can be moved between a position in the path of movement of the assembly and a position in the rack.

3. In a mining machine comprising a carriage. a supporting structure having a runway along which the carriage is adapted to move back and forth, an elongated mining assembly operatively coupled to the carriage at the rear end of the assembly, the assembly including screw conveyor sections connected end to end, and means for rotating the assembly, a superstructure carried by the supporting structure and extending upwardly therefrom, lifting means on the superstructure generally above the assembly for handling oonveyor sections when disconnected from the assembly and carriage, the lifting means having flexible conveyor section supporting means so that the conveyor sections when held thereby are shiftable generally transversely of the path o movement of the assembly, and means constituting a pair of opposed upwardly open racks extending generally parallel to the path of movement of the assembly, said racks being respectively connected with the supporting structure at opposite sides thereof for holding conveyor seo- 2 tions in position generally parallel to but out of the path of movement of the assembly whereby conveyor sections can be moved between a position in the path of movement of the assembly and a position in one of the racks.

CHARLES E. COMPTON.

REFERENCES CITEDl The following references are of record in th le of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 561,715 Lynch June 9, 1896 710,920 Morgan Oct. 7, 1902 10 956,463 Wittich Apr. 26, 1910 966,377 Barker Aug. 2, 1910 1,283,191 Hughes Oct. 29, 1918 1,932,068 Englebright et al. Oct. 24, 1933 2,165,666 Tilly July 11, 1939 15 2,196,260 Gatto Apr. 9, 1940 2,234,451 Ransome Mar. 11, 1941 2,338,351 Parrish Jan. 9, 1944 2,394,194- McCarthy Feb. 5, 1946 FOREIGN PATENTS o Number Country Date 14,978 Germany Aug. 23, 1881 OTHER REFERENCES Coal Age, December 1948, pages 76 and 77. 

